Asking The Typical Question--What is Perseverance?

The dictionary defines perseverance as 'the steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.' Or as the Beatle's song said, 'just keep on keeping on.' We have so many quotes about perseverance. Probably the best know one is, 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.'

What all of them say is that you can expect to encounter problems when try anything new. Successful people don't let obstacles or disappointments get in their way.

Let's look at an example of perseverance : the career of Milton Hershey. A fourth grade drop out, he became a printer's apprentice. He got fired. Next he convinced a candy maker to let him work for him. After finishing his apprenticeship, he opened a candy business and failed. He opened a second candy factory and failed again. Then he tried a third candy factory and failed a third time. Now, at his point, most people would say, 'Milton, three strikes and you're out. You need to find some other line of work.'

Fortunately the three strikes rule applies only to baseball and criminal convictions. Hershey then founded the Lancaster Caramel Company. His caramel recipe was successful. He later sold this company and started the Hershey Company. The rest is history. The term Hershey bar became a synonym for mike chocolate.

That is but one example and you can be sure that as you start to look around, you will be presented with but hundreds and hundreds of examples of the most successful people in the world who have gotten to where they are by demonstrating steady perseverance. This trait is the thing which can be attributed to underpinning the level of success that they currently experience. Most people look at the current situation and tend not to consider the steps that the successful individual has ahd to take in order to get to where we see then today.

As you look to develop as a person, personally and professionally - make sure you take time out daily to enhancing that world class trait of perseverance. You should develop a virtue that upholds the global standard. After all, you are not living for your self, or for your own country, you are part of larger community-- the world.

Often, many of us just focus on our particular skill that we are looking to develop whether that be a product or service. However, we now know that it is that quality of determination and self motivation that is the core of the success secrets of the world's most successful people and if we want to be one of them; it makes good sense to ensure that we develop the same skills that we see possessed by them.